Sport and Fitness in the Workplace

There are not many situations in life that we can label outright “win-win” situations; chief among those is the matter of the benefits of sports and fitness activities in the workplace.

In today’s culture, while the importance of exercise is universally recognized. Yet, we never have enough time. “I don’t have time” is the most common excuse for skipping the gym; so many commitment – family, work, social life, and so on – clutter our days, that finding time for exercising becomes more and more challenging.

One of the ways that employers could help their employees find time to exercise (and for the benefit of both) is by introducing exercising in the workplace.

What are the health and cognitive benefits of exercise in the workplace?

Benefits for employees:

Exercise combats stress – this is one of the immediate benefits of exercising. Stress at work takes a huge toll on employees in terms of poor health, reduced creativity, depression etc. Exercising leads to an immediate boost in the levels of several important neurotransmitters, like serotonin, noradrenalin, dopamine and endorphins, which can be depleted by anxiety and depression. Even spending 30 minutes exercising in the gym is enough to improve the mood and eliminate negative feelings.

Exercise enhances the ability to focus – after getting the blood flowing, following an exercise, whether running, walking, gym workout etc., there’s a heightened sensation of focus. It is safe to say that a short workout before an important meeting can work miracles when your attention needs to be at its peak.

Exercise improves long-term memory – Neuroscience research has shown that exercise has a positive effect on the hippocampus (The hippocampus is responsible, among others, for long-term memory and navigation). Exercise encourages the growth of hippocampus cells, thus reinforcing long-term memory.

Exercising promotes networking and teamwork – Team spirit and camaraderie are important benefits of any workplace fitness program. Employees exercising together get to know each other, and those relationships develop into all kinds of benefits, like:

Social support – which can contribute in its turn to further stress reduction.

Problem solving – through conversation during the workout, when the mind is free to wander, thus promoting creativity.

Benefits for employers:

Exercising reduces absenteeism – obviously, healthier worker does not have to take days off to see the doctor, thus increasing productivity. Moreover, employers who created employee fitness areas reported that lost workdays declined by a whopping 80%(!).

Exercising reduces health costs – it stands to reason that healthy employees cost less than unhealthy employees. Healthcare experts estimate that 70% to 90% of national healthcare expenditure is due to unhealthy lifestyle circumstances, like sitting all day long on a chair in front of a screen; these conditions might cause chronic diseases. According to US estimates, these problems cost American businesses close to a trillion dollars a year! So, any investment by an employer in the fitness of his workers is worth the cost.

Exercising reduces employee turnover – current research shows that companies that have fitness programs retain employees longer that companies that don’t.

The importance of exercising in the workplace cannot be overstated. Most experts agree that one hour’s exercise should be considered as important as a work meeting. Some of them recommend inserting it in the calendar, just like a regular appointment, and considering it essential and “sacred”.

The benefits of exercising in the workplace have not escaped the watchful eyes of companies and corporations. That is why more and more companies invest in gyms in the workplace; it is not considered just a “perk” for employees anymore. Just recently MIXER Work & lounge opened a fully equipped gym in the MIXER Herzliya building and is offering a free first year for Mixer members. That way, you’ll have one excuse less to avoid hitting the gym.